Snow blanketed parts of the Northeast United States as a late-season blizzard rolled in. The snowstorm grounded more than 5,000 flights, knocked out power to over 100,000 customers from Virginia to Pennsylvania, closed schools in cities big and small and prompted dire warnings to stay off the roads.

National Weather Service blizzard and winter storm warnings were in effect for the region including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut, with forecasts for up to two-feet (60cm) of snow. However, the storm track shifted and snow switched to sleet in Philadelphia and New York. Blizzard warnings were lifted in some places along the coast, and forecasts of a foot or more of snow were cut in half. But residents farther inland were getting clobbered with snow.

IBTimes UK presents the best photos of the snow piling up in parts of the Northeastern United States as the blizzard began blowing in.